Is Perplexity Safe? The Complete Privacy & Security Verdict (2026)

Security Infrastructure

Perplexity has built substantial security infrastructure:

• SOC 2 Type II certification — an independent audit of internal security controls
• GDPR-aligned policies — though independent GDPR compliance has not been verified by a third party
• Trail of Bits security audit — in April 2025, ahead of Comet's public launch, Trail of Bits conducted a first-of-its-kind agentic browser security audit
• Secure Intelligence Institute — founded in 2026 to advance security, privacy, and safety of frontier intelligence systems
• BrowseSafe — an open-source benchmark released in December 2025 with more than 14,700 real-world attack scenarios across 14 harm categories
• Payment data protection — meets industry standards

Low Independent Trust Score

The Nerq Trust Score (as of April 2026) rates Perplexity at 48.2/100 (D grade), concluding users should "USE WITH CAUTION" . This score is based on analysis of three independent data dimensions and finds below-average trust signals with significant gaps in security, maintenance, or documentation .

Android App Vulnerabilities

A security audit of Perplexity's Android app uncovered vulnerabilities similar to those previously identified in DeepSeek's Android app :

• Unsecured network configuration — increased risk of network-based attacks
• No SSL validation or certificate pinning — can lead to impersonation attacks
• Weak root detection — allows attackers to escalate privileges
• Susceptibility to StrandHogg vulnerability — enables phishing and identity theft
• Exposure of API tokens

Legal Risk

In 2026, Perplexity faced a proposed privacy lawsuit alleging that Meta and Google trackers received user data, including from Incognito sessions — allegations Perplexity has denied .

How to Use Perplexity Safely

For casual users treating Perplexity as an internet search alternative, the platform is reasonably safe with manageable trade-offs . Two steps can significantly reduce risk:

1. Opt out of training — Go to Settings and disable "Train on your data"
2. Avoid entering sensitive information — Don't paste personal identifiers, passwords, financial data, or confidential business information into searches

For business or sensitive searches, the only real safe option is the Enterprise Pro/Max tier or the Sonar API, which have contractual guarantees against data use for training and stronger security audits . Real estate investors, healthcare professionals, and anyone handling confidential information should audit every AI tool in their workflow for data-sharing policies, tracker presence, and SOC 2 compliance before sharing sensitive deal information .

Bottom Line

Perplexity is not a scam — it's a legitimate AI-powered answer engine with enterprise ambitions . But its default data collection practices mean that users who don't upgrade or opt out are trading their search data for free access. The company's enterprise offerings are genuinely secure and certified, but the free tier carries real privacy trade-offs that many users won't expect.